Many modern machines and devices are equipped to connect to networks. While traditional computers such as desktops and laptops have been designed to connect to wired and wireless networks for many years, many other types of modern devices and machines are now being designed to connect to networks. For example, many consumer devices like televisions (TVs), gaming consoles, and security systems are designed to send and receive data via networks, such as local area networks or the Internet. These “smart” devices provide greater functionality and convenience for people who wish to control, monitor, or otherwise access their devices remotely (e.g., using a smart phone). In addition, industrial devices such as remote sensors for wireless sensor networks are also being designed to connect to networks so that sensor readings can be rapidly transferred to data repositories. For both businesses and consumers, it is both convenient and useful to have devices that can connect to networks such as the Internet.
The Internet of Things (IoT) generally refers to the devices and machines embedded with electronics and software enabling these devices and machines to exchange data over a network (e.g., the Internet). The number of IoT devices connected to networks worldwide is poised to grow rapidly. While IoT devices offer promising conveniences, they also provide a large number of potential hosts that could be infected by malicious software through network connections. Malicious software (also called malware), such as viruses, worms, Trojans, malicious bots, spyware, ransomware, and adware, can infect various types of electronic devices and can cause a great deal of damage to valuable computer systems and devices.
To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. It is contemplated that elements disclosed in one embodiment may be beneficially utilized on other embodiments without specific recitation.